3/5 palpable at 29 weeks

[mickellwife]

This is my 3rd baby. I had seen my midwife on thursday for my 28 week appointment and then the next day, my underwear got soaked so i had to go to labour ward. When i saw the midwife, his head was free but at the labour ward, it said in my notes that he was 3/5 palpable. This doesn't mean early labour does it?? I hadnt lost my waters thankfully but i was monitored for half hour and 1 braxton hicks got up to 35 and the rest were 20

 

[oboeverity]

Firstly, the toco figure (measuring contractions) varies depending on where the pad is positioned.... This alters the baseline so they're not always a reliable estimation of contraction strength, unless you're actually in labour.

Secondly, isn't palpability to do with how soft your belly is? I could be way off...xx

 

[oboeverity]

https://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a3165285/what_does_35_palpable_mean
It's to do with how much of baby's head can be felt; this baby has been head right down in my pelvis since 26 weeks, so try not to worry. If its ot your first baby,they can be in and out right up to delivery xx

 

[mickellwife]

anyone else?

 

[missbabes]

I was down as 3/5 2 weeks ago, and it basically means that 3/5th's of baby's head can still be felt. The lower the first number the more the head is engaged, and technically 3/5 isn't classed as enagaged. There should be a page in your notes which gives a mini explanation for each one (either page 14 or 16, my fundal chart is attached to the page so it took some hunting).

 

[mickellwife]

i know it isnt engaged but i just keep thinking that if i do engage soon, does it meran early labour?

 

[PreggyEggy]

Palpability is different from engagement. They measure the same thing, but palpable means how much of the babies head can be felt outside of the pelvis, where as engagement is how much of the babies head is inside the pelvis. Different midwives will use different ones.

3/5 palpable means 3 5ths of your babies head can still be felt. If you were to say the same in terms of engagement, you could say you were 2/5 engaged, or 2 5ths of your babies head is engaged.

I've got to be honest and say at 29 weeks, it doesn't mean much at all. I'm 36 weeks and I haven't had a midwife measure engagement even once. There's not much point, I've felt myself that baby can be so low some days that it hurts to walk, and other days baby is so high up that sitting up doesn't feel very nice cause I've got a bum in my ribs!

Try not to focus so much on when you'll go into labour. I was 2 weeks late last time, and I really drove myself crazy over it.

 

[Glitter_berry]

I wouldn't worry too much. At 30 weeks Dr said head was engaged snd thats why unwas feeling si much pressure now babies head is roaming freely and off to the side. They have plenty of time to engage then move back out.
At this stage I really don't think it's anything to look too far into.

 

[Becki_k1]

I wouldn't worry too much baby can pop in and out of being engaged right up untill labour x